MEP Mullooly and Deputy Fitzmaurice to visit landowner sites this morning over bog rewetting concerns
Exterior drains around the perimeter of the bogs are clogged with silt, as shown in this photo.
Independent Ireland MEP Ciaran Mullooly and his party colleague, Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice, will visit landowners’ sites this morning, Thursday, as concerns continue over the possible flooding impact of bog rewetting by Bord na Móna.
There are fears that lands adjacent to these boglands will flood this winter if exterior drains around the perimeter of the bogs, which are clogged with silt, are not cleaned out first.
Bord na Móna, tasked with rewetting more than 40,000 hectares of peatland under European Union nature restoration commitments, has scheduled rewetting work at Mount Dillon, Erenagh, and 15 further sites to commence today, Thursday, July 24th.
Landowners were notified of the start date just days ago but the semi-state company is now being urged to halt its plans until a comprehensive environmental impact assessment is undertaken and local anxieties are resolved.
Following last Tuesday's public meeting in Ballyleague, Co Roscommon and on the border of Co Longford, MEP Mullooly issued a formal letter directly to Bord na Móna’s CEO, Tom Donnellan, asking the company to suspend all rewetting activities in County Roscommon and elsewhere until proper procedures are followed.
“Farmers are particularly concerned that perimeter drains many of which are reportedly clogged with silt and overgrown have not been cleaned out in advance of the rewetting. Failure to clear these drains could result in widespread flooding of adjacent farmland this winter, making remediation efforts significantly harder or even impossible in the Winter,” Mullooly said.
Commenting on the impact of re-wetting, Mullooly stated :“Farmers are not opposed to the principle of bog rewetting, but they rightly expect existing protocols to be honoured and vital drainage infrastructure to be addressed to protect their own land. Many of these drains are almost entirely blocked, and without action, the flooding of valuable farmland is inevitable.”
In response to the ongoing uncertainty, MEP Mullooly and Deputy Fitzmaurice will meet local landowners at 9.30 a.m. this morning at St. Faithleach’s GAA Club in Ballyleague, before travelling to several affected bog sites to inspect the drains in person.
Members of the community, the media, and interested parties are invited to attend the site visit. Transport will be provided and participants are advised to bring appropriate outdoor footwear, such as wellingtons.
“The situation is urgent but entirely preventable,” added MEP Mullooly. “With meaningful dialogue and practical steps, there’s still time to avoid needless damage to vital farmland.”
